By Hank Russell
Local elected officials, committee chairmen and local law enforcement came to the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead as they heard Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney announce that he will be running for a second term.
Joined on stage by Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and members of his family, Tierney spoke about his past accomplishments and laid out a plan of what he will do next if re-elected. He said he was “honored” to be introduced by Gene and Sue Murray, whose daughter Chelsey died of a fentanyl overdose in 2022.
“He didn’t know us, but he cared enough for us,” Gene Murray said of Tierney. “His office has been with us all the time.”
Murray recalled how he and his wife would go up to Albany to petition the state Legislature to pass “Chelsey’s Law,” which would charge drug dealers with murder if someone died from using their product. Tierney praised them for their bravery. “They took a personal tragedy and put it into action,” he said. “They did this so that no other family has to go through what they went through.”
Tierney proceeded to speak about what he has done since becoming DA. This included crackdowns on retail and catalytic converter theft, with the help of the Suffolk County Police Department. “These [criminals] just didn’t get arrested,” he said. “They went to jail.”
He also established the Evergreen Initiative, in which those who illegally dump garbage into a protected wetland area must pay for the cleanup, and the Street Takeover Task Force, in which those who participate in these illegal street races will be arrested and their cars seized.
Most importantly, Tierney’s office — along with the SCPD — started the Cold Case Unit, which he said was “an outshoot” of the Gilgo Beach Task Force. Both agencies are working together to find a conclusion to long unsolved cases.
He also spoke about a community outreach program to connect with the residents of Suffolk. “We need to be held accountable,” Tierney said. “That’s critically important. … We will let [the community] know we will enforce the law in a fair and even-handed manner.”
In discussing violent crime, Tierney said that, in 2023-24, the homicide rate fell by 39% compared to 2020-21. In addition, the number of shots fired decreased 68%, shooting incidents fell 43%, the number of shooting victims was 33% lower than it was three years ago and the number of individuals killed by gun violence dropped precipitously by 67%.
Further, Tierney said, Suffolk has the lowest overall crime rate per 1,000 among all large counties in New York State with 89. That is lower than Queens (154), Nassau (162.3), Westchester (167.7) and Albany (197.7).
In his second term, he will continue the push to eliminate bail reform. “When this was passed, we were told to shut up and keep quiet,” he said. “When I came in, I had to speak out.”
He called bail reform “a lie,” saying, “When bail reform passed … we all thought we would be safer. That’s a lie. That is the total opposite. This has made us less safe. As long as [bail reform] is on the books, I will not stop speaking out on it.”
He said he will also push to end the scourge of fentanyl and xylazine. According to Tierney, 465 people died of overdoses in 2023. “Each one of those individuals mattered,” he said. “We will work tirelessly to get those numbers down.”
Tierney got the support of Romaine and Suffolk GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia. “I am deeply honored to have him as DA,” Romaine said. “He has done a great job and I will do all I can to see that he is re-elected.”
Garcia pointed out that, when Tierney was first elected in 2021, New York State was besieged by violent crime as a result of the policies of the progressive elected officials.
“From day one, Tierney has stood firm against these policies, prioritizing the safety and property of Suffolk County residents,” Garcia said in a statement. “His tenure has been marked by an unwavering commitment to justice, whether tackling minor offenses or securing convictions in major cases. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the arrest of one of the most infamous serial killers in U.S. history, a testament to his skill and dedication.”
“Suffolk County has never had a District Attorney with Tierney’s depth of experience, leadership, and resolve,” Garcia continued. “His record speaks for itself.”